1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to motor vehicles and, more particularly, to motor vehicles having a closeable passageway for loading and unloading items.
2. Description of the Related Art
Motor vehicles, in general, and motor homes, in particular, are often used in connection with extended travel. Such travel can include excursions on the road for many hours or even days, such as cross-country trips. On such excursions and in the case of a motor home, occupants thereof often live in the motor home, rather than expending time, money, and effort in securing lodging for rest or stopping for provisions. Accordingly, motor homes are habitably furnished.
Motor homes generally include a substantially rectangularly shaped vehicle body supported above a surface on wheels. The vehicle body has a front, a back, two sides, a floor, and a roof defining an interior and an exterior of the vehicle body. Each side often includes a plurality of windows disposed along the side adjacent the roof. Each window typically is adapted to open such that an opening can be provided between the interior and the exterior. Also, one of the sides usually has a door connected to the side adjacent the front, extending substantially between the roof and the floor, and having a window disposed on a portion of the door adjacent the roof. The door is adapted to open such that an opening can be provided between the interior and the exterior for the ingress and egress of occupants of the motor home. A staircase consisting of no more than a few steps normally extends from the floor adjacent the door to the surface to permit occupants access to/from the door from/to the surface. The front includes a windshield that extends substantially the entire length of the front. Similarly, the back sometimes has a windshield that extends substantially the entire length of the back.
As stated above, motor homes are habitably furnished. The interior thereof can include several roomsxe2x80x94such as a bedroom, a kitchen, and a dining room. These rooms, in turn, can include many accessoriesxe2x80x94such as appliances, electronic devices, cupboards, shelves, drawers, beds, couches, seats, faucets, sinks, and so forthxe2x80x94to accommodate the living needs and comfort of its occupants. Prior to, during, and/or after travel of an extended nature or even other activities, such as a picnic, using the motor home, occupants thereof must supply the interior with or remove from the interior various itemsxe2x80x94such as food, drinks, utensils, linen, toiletries, cleaning products, etc.
When loading/unloading such items into/from the motor home, it is necessary for the items to be transported through the door and/or windows. However, since the windows are usually positioned too high above the surface for occupants to reach from the surface, the door is generally used. Upon entering the interior of the motor home, the items then may need to be transported across the floor to reach the furnishings to which the items belong. For example, many canned goods may need to be stocked in a cupboard in the kitchen, which may be located near the back. This can result in not only leaving the door and/or windows open, which can permit unwanted entry of insects and the elements of the weather into the motor home, but also confusion and danger by having to continually walk up and down the steps and maneuver about the furnishings when the motor home is crowded with other occupants. This is not only inconvenient and time-consuming, but can also result in tracking into the motor home dirt and debris from the occupants of the motor home.
While the related art addresses passageways to vent walls in a motor home, the related art does not seem to address the problem directly of providing an access passageway that may be used repeatedly to cleanly, conveniently, easily, and quickly load and unload groceries, dry goods, hardware, and the like and remains closed when not in use. Therefore, it is desirable to provide a closeable passageway through a side of a motor home through which the above items may be easily passed from time to time for the purpose of loading the motor home with these items and/or the unloading same from the motor home.
Accordingly, the present invention is a motor vehicle including a vehicle body having sides, a floor, and a roof defining an interior. The motor vehicle further includes a passageway located adjacent the floor and extending between the interior and an exterior of the vehicle body for loading and unloading items. The motor vehicle further includes a door connected to the vehicle body between the interior and the exterior to close the passageway.
One advantage of the present invention is that a motor vehicle is provided having a passageway that permits easy access to/from an interior of the motor vehicle for cleanly, conveniently and quickly loading/unloading items into/from the motor vehicle. Another advantage of the present invention is that the motor vehicle has a passageway that can be used as an emergency exit for occupants of the motor vehicle. Yet another advantage of the present invention is that the motor vehicle has a passageway that is closeable when not in use.
Still another advantage of the present invention is that the motor vehicle has a passageway that may be installed through any side of a motor vehicle. A further advantage of the present invention is that the motor vehicle has a passageway that is substantially air and/or water tight when the passageway is closed.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood after reading the subsequent description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.